The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-12
A GREAT CITY IN MOURNING.
Brooklyn's Citizens Give Evidence Of
Their Grief Over Beecher's Death.
all Business 6uspended-Touching Funeral
Address by DR.. Hall-The Remains Viewed
by Myriads Of Friends and Admirers.

by Myriads of Friends and Admirers.
New York March 11.-All Brooklyn was in
mourning to day over the death of Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher. The public Offices were closed,
business was entirely suspended, and memorial
services were held in large number of churches
In the vicinity of Plymouth Church. The up
town streets looked deserted. AS early as
O'clock Fulton avenue was thronged with people
hurrying in the direction of Plymouth Church
Lines of police were stationed at the ends OF the
block on which the church is situated. and no
one was allowed to pass through the lines unless
he had ticket. Before o'clock the line in Or
ange street was two blocks long, three abreast.
The side streets were packed with people who
hung around, hoping that they might be able to
get In without ticket. The members of Ply
mouth Company g. of the Thirteenth Regiment,
Of which Mr.. Beecher was chaplain, were sta
toned at the doors of the church and in the Iect-
ure-room. While the vast crowd of people were
gathering outside Of the church the lady mem
bers of the congregation were working like beav-
ers within. dressing the pulpit and casket with
flowers. The whole interior was turned into
perfect flower garden, and the fragrant perfume
OF roses pervaded the air. The walls, galleries and
organ were covered with evergreens, palms and
caalilies. The reading desk was coveredwith
and vines, as was also the chair In which MIR.
Peecher sat for so many years. In the center of
the organ loft a floral emblem in the shape
OF triangle, on the top of which were perched
two white doves, with white ribbons in their
bills. The facade of the gallery was covered
with potted plants. The pulpit was loaded down
with flowers and floral emblems sent by friends
and different organizations. The casket was
placed on catafalque Of white roses, white car
nations and smilax, directly In front OF the
reading desk. Mrs. S. V. White and several
ladies devoted their time, before the doors were
opened, in covering the casket with lilies of the
valley, eucharis roses, smilax, maiden hair
ferns. tuberoses and French moss. Whom they
finished not a vestige of the black cloth cover
sng the casket could be seen. There was moth
ing to indicate the presence Of death, except the
stiffness which pervaded the room and the
hushed conversation Of the workers The church
had more the appearance Of a wedding than a
funeral
1t was nearly 10 o'clock before the doors were
thrown open to those who had been impatiently
waiting without for nearly three hours. The
people entered by the Orange-street entrance
and were shown to their seats by the ushers.
During the time that the audience were being
shown to their seats, Organist Harry Rowe
Shelby played low, sweet music upon the grand
organ. The first four seats on the right of the
center aisle reserved for the relatives of the
deceased. Mr. Beechers family were not pres
emit, and the family pew was filled with flowers
in fha oh for
utes before the doors were opened, and left with
her sons before the crowd entered. On the left
side of the center aisle were the members of the
clerical union, of which Mr. Beecher was a
member for number of years. Behind these
were seated the officers Of the Thirteenth Regi
ment, and then came the members of the legis
lative committee who wore badges made of
white silk. Behind these were delegates from
nearly every social, political religious organi-
cation in New York Brooklyn. There was a
delegation Of the colored ministers association
present
At half past 10 o'clock Rev. Dr. Charles Fl.
Hall, robed in his white surplice and accom-
panied by Rev. S. B. Halliday. entered the
church and assembled the platform. When the
music ceased DR.. Hall commenced to read in low
but clear tones the opening sentences of the
Protestant Episcopal burial services. After
these the double quartet composed of Mrs.
Shelley. soprano; Miss Cavanagh. alto; Mrs.
Grant soprano; Mrs Rosan, alto; Mr.. Gaff and
Mr.. Warrenroth, tenors: Mr. Brown and Mr.
Stein, bassos and chorus Of sixty voices, sung
the burial chant, lord. Let Me Know Mine
End" The lesson was read By DR.. Hall, ard a
prayer was delivered by Rev. S. B. Halliday.
The rest Of the musical programme was as fol
lows:
Authenticated Are the Departed
Hymn-"Jesus lover of My Soul"
Sentence-"I Hoard Voice"
Hymn-"Hark. Hank, My Soul"
The organ was presided at by Henry e. Brown
and Gen. Horatio c. King
After the first lesson Dr. Hall commenced his
grafton. During its delivery there was not dry
eye in the house, and several times he was com
PEELED to stop for a time to gain control of his
voice. Dr. Hall said:
''The hand that rests so still, yonder, laid aside
the pen over the page of the unfinished Life oil
Christ Possibly the last flash of thought. as
the conviction drew upon him of the probable
End of life, was that his life to be left un
finished; that he had not told men all that he
would have them know of that preci GUS reveia
ton. Possibly. as the spirit fled away to be
with Christ, whom he had been serving, the full
knowledge came to him of that shoreless ocear
Of eternal life, which is to know God and Jesus
Christ whom He hath sent; that is the beautiful
vision, the love Of Christ, which passeth knowl
edge. We dwell on one tiny bay of it here and
dream about it. The departed saints of God
have already put out on its immeasurable spaces
and learned that the life Of Christ is never
finished. 1t IL the word of God which il
ever spoken. echoing again and again, on and on
with ceaseless reverberations down the cen.
turtles. If there was one thing that stirred the
heart that now rests from its labors more thar
any other-that has marked his life and makes
his memory precious 10 us now-it was his
many sided utterances of Christ living az
going about among mon, the Master who frs
and last asks us to believe in Him rather thar
10 heliaya what others saY about Him Th.